2003 Chateau Beauchene Cotes du Rhone Villages ($15 Ceres St Wines, Portsmouth). I know we paid to much as it was a boutique place, but the guy who ran it was nice to talk to. He assaured me that it was not overripe and he was correct. Alcohol level: 13%. The fruit was a very nice blend of red and black with spicy-peppery overtones as it should. Recommend it if you can find it at $10-$12.

It contributed significantly with a dinner of lamb steaks marinated in mint-lemon mayonnaise, green beans almondine, and butterflake rolls. The meat was cooked on our rehabed grill which we fired up for the first time this year. Very nice meal for a Tuesday night!

Popped an '09 yesterday for our Easter Dinner. We got this one at a NH state store for $9.99. The alky is up a little to 13.5%. Everybody loved it with roast leg of lamb, flageolets en casserole, glazed carrots, and salad. Yum!